Bill Ackman Backs 'Daring' Eye Therapy for Daughter

Bill Ackman didn't discover the world of experimental longevity treatments in a podcast or at Davos—it started on the floor of his daughter's Brooklyn apartment. The Washington Post reports that when 26-year-old Lucy Ackman suffered a brain hemorrhage in February that left her unable to move, speak, or see, the billionaire investor mobilized his money and connections to secure a "daring" procedure: transplanting mitochondria from her leg muscle into her eyes, with the hope of repairing her optic nerves. The FDA granted one-time
"compassionate use" approval for the novel eye procedure in May. According to a non-peer-reviewed paper submitted to Nature, Lucy regained the ability to perceive light after the treatment, though the effect wore off after a month or so.

Ackman acknowledged his daughter had received the experimental therapy in late August, noting in an X post that "mitochondria has amazing potential." The Post situates Ackman's move inside a broader shift. As federal science funding shrinks under the second Trump administration, ultra-wealthy backers—including Sam Altman, Jeff Bezos, Sergey Brin, Peter Thiel, Larry Ellison, and Elon Musk—are pouring fortunes into longevity and brain tech, helping shape what gets researched and how fast. Ackman now plans to spend more than $400 million on a new brain and longevity institute, even as some scientists debate whether mitochondrial transplants really work. More here.